How To Pick The Right Shoes To Go With Your Pants

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When Danielle moved from New York to LA, she began to expand her shoe collection—now that she didn’t have to walk anywhere, she could shop with reckless abandon. But more shoes led to more questions! Take, for example, her new Alexander Wang snakeskin pumps. They have an amazing ankle strap situation designed to show off. And the super chic grey suede Madewell booties: They’re perfect for dresses, but can you wear them with a skinny jean? What about a cropped pant? Now that’s putting your best foot forward.

Vince

Kurt Geiger London

Alice + Olivia

With louche, floor-grazing pants, height in the shoe is key. A wide leg or flare trouser needs at least 3 1/2 inches to balance the volume. Plus, it will give you legs for days. Stay away from anything with a pointed toe, as it fights with the hem, and stick to something slightly rounded.

Jenni Kayne

Alexander Wang

Jeffrey Campbell

This touches on two points: how to navigate a pair of ankle boots that come up a few inches above the ankle, as well as what to do with those few extra inches of jean that hit below. Look for ankle boots that taper closely, so there isn't too much space between the boots and the jeans can scrunch over it.

Club Monaco

Corso Como

Ultimately, you always want your legs to appear as long as possible. A delicate heel, as opposed to a three to four inch heel, gives a quiet but elegant touch that elevates the look without overwhelming the pant.

Banana Republic

Tory Burch

Salvatore Ferragamo

Some people just need to be strapped into their shoes—me being one of them—but what to do with it? Try a cropped skinny that hits a few inches above the strap, but make sure it's fitted throughout so that the lines of the hem are streamlined with the ankle strap. It’s good to leave a little space in between so you can really show them off!

Alexander Wang

DKNY

Loeffler Randall

There’s actually a lot of shoes that can be worn with this more fashion-forward style, reminiscent of ‘80s Japanese fashion. Since cropped wide leg pants are opiate of the of the street style masses lately, we suggest just going with the flow and letting the look be more masculine. Oxfords with a chunky platform balance the wide leg while adding height, preventing the pants from making you look bottom heavy.